


Imperatore

by stigion



Category: Two Against The World (Visual Novel)
Genre: 1920s, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Organized Crime, Original Character(s), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV First Person, Rating May Change, first time posting, literally a school assignment turned into fanfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:02:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23806573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stigion/pseuds/stigion
Summary: A young, determined private investigator goes to a not-so-legal nightclub and leaves with a hangover heart.
Relationships: Nicky (Two Against the World | Fictif)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 24





	Imperatore

**Author's Note:**

> A school assignment for the English course portfolio. It begins with a given out-of-context sentence and eventually turned out to be so satisfactory that I decided to post it here. I'm not a native speaker, and some errors might've passed even through Grammarly. So uh, enjoy I guess, and leave some feedback <3 also please check out Fictif, the fandom is wayyy too small for what it deserves.
> 
> I might also add more chapters in the future!

The tourists were not quite what they seemed. For a bunch of men in flashy suits, they sure had bodyguards to compensate for their annoying mannerisms. They talked in a foreign language I could only guess was Italian. I did not understand a word, but I guess they were having some sort of fun. Loud laughter, wine, armed bodyguards, and no fear of spending too much money - now that was a lifestyle many street rats would kill for. Behind my half-full glass of Scotch, I squinted a little as my ears suddenly picked up a familiar-sounding name, in between the gibberish and laughter. _Nicky Valentino._ That nailed the last nail into their coffin.

Nicholas “Nicky” Valentino, the golden boy with a million-dollar smile. And also a million-dollar suit, and perhaps a yacht or two as well. The man was quite frequently headlining the papers, so it was nothing out of the ordinary to hear about him. But the thing everyone was so intrigued by was his insane wealth that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The public had their individual opinions and theories, and the police had their own. Both ends expressed their sides quite loudly, no matter the time of day. The guys in the office like to gossip about Valentino almost as much as they like to talk about their women. But to think that he had connections in Europe already? These men seemed to be a bigger deal back in Italy.

I focused on the amber-colored liquor to avert my gaze from the group for a while. There were ears and eyes everywhere, so it was best to just keep blending in and drink. It was now considerably clear that these gentlemen were far from simple tourists in the Big Apple, anyway. If Nicky Valentino had something to do with it, it probably was borderline illegal, but not enough to have them jailed. Valentino was a smart businessman, after all.

The speakeasy that held bigger parties almost every night was advertised as clean according to the public documents and the high-class visitors, but a lot of illegal booze flowed freely in this house. The reason why the word hadn’t gotten out was probably the subtle yet thick secrecy surrounding the business. I had snooped around a little before diving straight into this case, just as a good investigator should. I had gone undercover and asked some frequent customers if they knew anything about the possible owner of this place, but every time I had been shrugged off. Either everyone was unaware of the things happening behind the scenes, or they knew how to keep a secret from a stranger like me.

The whiskey was burning my throat, making me crave a smoke as well. Not that I was a smoker in particular, but strong alcohol and nicotine had become a drunken habit of mine a while ago. I glanced up at the table seating the foreign men, studying their nameless faces and obnoxious voices as I finished up the Scotch. No one was paying attention to me as far as I knew, and that gave me a chance to dwell in my thoughts, to completely shut off the outside world until something interesting would happen.

New York, the place where I had been working as a private investigator for a year, was starting to stir alarmingly for some reason. The streets felt unsafe even during the day, missing or slaughtered people were a daily occurrence, and the financial gap between social classes kept getting greater. And the now-infamous prohibition law did nothing to improve the situation. Those European mafia men were most likely a part of the problem since they had come all the way here to get their slice of the pie. Whatever it was, Nicky Valentino was my first target of interrogation. And maybe, if I got lucky, my first big catch. _Oh, how I would love to have that preppy bastard behind the bars._

"My, my, who's the fortunate one?" A sudden voice interrupted my train of thought, startling me. How much of that did I happen to vent aloud? I looked up from my empty glass to see a young man in a navy pinstripe suit, offering me a charming smile. He had a face that was undoubtedly familiar, and may I say, even reasonably handsome. I quickly regained my composure, straightening in my seat. "E-Excuse me?" I managed to utter quite unceremoniously, only to be lightly chuckled at. His voice was like coarse sand yet all honey and cream. Very charismatic to say at least. "You were talking about someone you wish to have a real bad time, eh. You a lawyer or somethin'?" The New York accent was prominent in his speech, which made his character shine through even more. I stammered, trying to think of a believable answer. "Well, I’m not exactly a lawyer" I shifted on my seat. "But mildly interested in legal matters. An observer of wrongdoers, if I may say."

Something sparked in those hazel eyes. I couldn't tell if it was just the lighting, but a slight shadow cast upon them right after. "Wrongdoers? And who might they be?" He asked, sounding very oblivious, but looking at me like he knew all of my dirtiest secrets. Or perhaps it was just because of the eyes that intrigued me so much. "Wouldn't you like to know, _Mr. don't-know-how-to-mind-their-business?_ I have been prohibited from sharing inside information," I replied quickly, not really thinking before saying anything. 

The man kept quiet for a second or two, processing the sentence he had heard. Then he smiled sweetly again. “You have your way with the words. I like that,” he purred and pulled the chair back that was opposite of me. “May I join you?” Given the fact that my outburst seemed to impress him, which I was certainly not ready for, I settled on simply nodding in agreement. He sat down, leaning over the table. I could tell he was a gentleman by his manners but at the same time, he had a playful, boyish vibe to him. The delicate, warm light of the club complimented his face so that he seemed almost ethereal. “I can’t say I’ve seen you here before, you must be from someplace other than New York.” The man smiled. “If I guess you’re from heaven, how close do I get?” 

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I snorted a laugh. I knew I was young and kind of feminine for a man in his twenties, in an exotic manner, but never had I heard such a straightforward flirt. “I’m flattered, but you’re still kinda far off. I’m from Delaware," I replied, letting my gaze wander. This stranger was almost too good to be true. If the thing he had going on was a personality type, it sure was a rare one. He eyed my empty glass as if he was trying to guess what kind of liquor I was into. “You want another drink? It’s on me,” he asked, and I agreed wordlessly. Who in their right mind would turn down a free drink, especially when it is offered by an unfairly attractive man? He leaned back in his chair and made a gesture at the waiter, who simply nodded and then disappeared somewhere. 

“So,” the man purred, those hazel eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’re quite the looker, aren’t you? Don’t mean to sound like a creep, but ‘tis kinda weird you're here all by yourself." The waiter returned with two glasses of whiskey. So he had guessed right, both regarding the whiskey and my love life, and I could only wonder how did he manage to not sound like a pervert. Perhaps it was just the rose tint doing its tricks since his statement did not make me feel any less comfortable. “Can't a free spirit spend some alone-time for change? I don’t usually have any time for romance, anyway,” I took a generous sip from the glass the waiter had brought. “I’m a hard worker.”

“And a tough drinker, I see. Never have I met a person who downs whiskey like that,” he laughed charmingly, as always. “What’s your name, darling? I could use that for future reference.” He leaned over, all of his attention directed to me. What a heartthrob, making me overthink with a simple gesture of interest. “Raven. Raven Willis,” I answered, maybe blushing a little, for Christ’s sake. I could only imagine what this _future reference_ meant.

“An androgynous name for an androgynous beauty,” he complimented without a pause. “I like it a lot.” He sipped his drink, then straightened up and glanced at his watch. For a split second, his expression shifted to an annoyed one, but he kept his calm demeanor despite that. He stood up, presenting an apologetic yet sweet smile. “Unfortunately I have to go, business stuff. Please enjoy your evening, Raven. I’ll cover every expense as an apology.” 

He turned around and almost got to disappear as soon as he had appeared in the first place, but I got up from my seat quickly. “Wait,” I exclaimed, and thankfully he turned his head towards me. “You didn’t tell me your name… and will I see you again?” He flashed his trademark smile before answering. “Of course you will. I’ll make sure of that.” He paused, briefly eyeing me from head to toe. “I’m sure you’ve heard of Nicky Valentino, now you can say you’ve talked to him.”

Then he left, leaving me to stand there completely dumbfounded. It took me a while to process the sudden information, but it hit me eventually. I had just randomly met up with the man I had sworn to bring to justice. I had forgotten entirely about the Italian gangsters I was supposed to watch over, and their now drunken voices blended to dull background noise.

“ _Son of a bitch_ ,” I muttered to myself. “ _I’m in love._ ”


End file.
